Red Sea Protein Skimmers

Protein skimming (also called foam fractionation) can be
considered as a form of fine mechanical filtration since it is
a physical process of removing substances from water,
without any chemical or biological action. While a
mechanical filter removes particles, such as uneaten fish
food, a protein skimmer removes suspended or dissolved
organic waste and invisible particles from the aquarium
water.

The advantage of protein skimming lies in the fact that
waste material is continuously removed, separating it from
the water flow. The waste, suspended in foam, is then
collected into a cup where it is no longer in contact with
the aquarium water. In contrast, the dirt collected in a
mechanical filter stays in contact with the water flow. A
mechanical filter should therefore be cleaned very
regularly; otherwise bacteria will decompose the collected
dirt into harmful dissolved organic material.

A successful marine aquarium should have both a regularly
cleaned mechanical filter and an efficient protein skimmer
as the first and second stage in the water treatment.